cPanel to cPanel Migration
A cPanel to cPanel migration copies the whole account: files, databases, mailboxes, cron jobs and the DNS zone. Without root, make a full account backup for the new host to restore; with root, use WHM's transfer tools. Test the copy through your hosts file, then change nameservers and keep the old host running until mail and site work.
For site owners and resellers moving a cPanel account to a new host without losing email, databases or search traffic.
knowledge
- Read time
- 5 min
- Sections
- 7
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
- Written by
- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 15 November 2026. Prices follow the dated sources on this page; checkout confirms current charges.
What does a cPanel to cPanel migration copy?
A cPanel to cPanel migration moves one complete account — site files, MySQL databases and users, mailboxes, forwarders and filters, cron jobs, the DNS zone and SSL certificates — from the old server to a new cPanel server. It is neither a zip of public_html nor a domain transfer.
- Home directory:
public_html, addon domains and hidden files such as.htaccess. - Databases: every MySQL database and the users attached to it.
- Email: mailboxes with their messages, forwarders, autoresponders and filters.
- Settings: cron jobs, DNS zone and installed SSL certificates.
A files-only download leaves mail and databases behind. If the new host assigns a different cPanel username, database names change prefix (for example olduser_wp becomes newuser_wp), and the site's config file must be updated before pages load.
Which migration method fits your level of access?
Without root access, use a full account backup that the new host restores; with root on the destination server, pull the account directly with WHM's transfer tools. Most shared-hosting customers have cPanel only, not root.
| Method | Who runs it | What you provide |
|---|---|---|
| Full account backup + restore | You create it; the new host restores it | The backup-…tar.gz archive |
| WHM "Copy an Account From Another Server With an Account Password" | Root on the new server | Old server address, cPanel username and password |
| WHM Transfer Tool | Root on both servers | Root or SSH access to the old server |
| Host-managed migration | The new host's team | The archive or the old cPanel login |
Order the destination plan first so the account exists and has enough disk for both the archive and the unpacked files. WebJi® cPanel hosting is a single plan at ₹297 a month before 18% GST (read from WebJi® billing on 15 November 2026); WebJi® moves approved accounts free, subject to terms, or as a paid migration service at ₹700 for one domain.
How do you migrate with a full account backup?
Generate a full backup in the old cPanel, give it to the new host to restore through WHM, then test the copy by IP or hosts file before touching DNS. An ordinary cPanel user cannot restore a full backup alone; the restore needs WHM.
- In the old cPanel, open Files → Backup → Download a Full Account Backup, choose Home Directory as the destination, and wait for the email saying it is ready (full backup guide).
- Download the archive and keep a copy until the new site has run cleanly for a week.
- Send it to the new host, who restores it with WHM's Restore a Full Backup/cpmove File.
- If you only need parts, cPanel's own Backup page can restore a home-directory archive, a database or forwarders and filters; see restoring cPanel backups.
- If the username changed, update the database name, user and password in the site config.
- Match the PHP version on the new account before judging any plugin errors.
How does a WHM account transfer work?
With root on the destination server, WHM can pull an account straight from the old server: use "Copy an Account From Another Server With an Account Password" if you only have the cPanel login, or the Transfer Tool if you have root on both servers. The old server must allow the connection during the copy.
- In WHM, open Transfers and choose the tool that matches your access.
- Enter the old server's address and the cPanel username and password (or root credentials for the Transfer Tool).
- Start the copy and watch the log; large mailboxes take the longest.
- Afterwards, open List Accounts and confirm the account has the right package and owner.
Moving a reseller with customers? Create the reseller on the new server first so customer accounts land under the right owner. Moving many accounts is covered in migrating reseller accounts in WHM.
How do you test the copy before changing DNS?
Point only your own computer at the new server with a hosts-file entry, then check the site, an admin login and a mailbox there while the public still reaches the old server. Do not change DNS or cancel anything until these pass.
- Hosts file: add
NEW-IP yourdomain.in www.yourdomain.in(see editing the hosts file). - Site: home page, an inner page, a form or test order, and the admin login.
- Mail: open webmail on the new server and read an old message; new mail still arrives at the old server until MX changes.
- Extras: cron jobs, SSL (AutoSSL may need a few minutes after DNS moves), forwarders and filters.
Remove the hosts entry after testing so your own browser does not hide propagation problems.
How do you switch DNS after the copy works?
Lower the TTL a day ahead, then change the nameservers at the registrar to the new host's pair (or update the A and MX records), and keep the old account running through the overlap. The registrar stays the same; a nameserver change is not a domain transfer.
- A day before, lower the TTL on the A and MX records to 300 seconds at the current DNS host.
- At the registrar, enter the nameservers from the new host's welcome email; changing nameservers shows where.
- Check with
dig +short NS yourdomain.inanddig +short A yourdomain.in @8.8.8.8. - Expect most visitors to switch within the old TTL; some networks hold old answers longer (DNS propagation).
When is it safe to cancel the old cPanel host?
Cancel only after public lookups show the new nameservers, the site and outside email both work on the new server, and a day or two of logs show no visitors still reaching the old IP. Until then, the old account is still in production.
- Send and receive from an outside mailbox, not only webmail on the server.
- Check the old server's mail queue for messages that arrived during the switch, and copy them over if needed.
- Take a final full backup of the old account before it is deleted.
If a page fails on the new host, fix it there or point DNS back; never delete the old account to finish a move that is still split across two servers. Questions go to support@webji.services, answered 24/7 in Hindi and English with an average first reply under 60 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I migrate cPanel without root access?
Yes. Create a full account backup in the old cPanel; it needs no root. The new host restores it through WHM, or uses WHM's account-password copy tool with your old cPanel login.
Do email accounts move with a cPanel migration?
Yes, with a full account backup or a WHM transfer: mailboxes, messages, forwarders and filters all come across. A zip of public_html does not include mail.
Will the site go down during the migration?
No, if you test before changing DNS. The old server keeps serving until nameservers change, and a short TTL keeps the overlap brief. Edits made on the old site after the backup must be repeated on the new one.
Can I move from cPanel to a different control panel?
Yes, but not with a one-click restore. Move the parts separately — files, database dumps and mail over IMAP — as described in migrating a website from BigRock, which follows the same pattern.
WHM tool names checked against current cPanel & WHM menus · Reviewed by the WebJi® team, Jaipur, 15 November 2026.
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